We recently connected with April Rubio and have shared our conversation below.

Hi April, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

I’ve kind of always known I wanted to pursue an artistic path professionally, but when I was younger I didn’t really understand how to do it. It wasn’t until I was working at my 9-5 job in my 20s that I realized I could pursue my art on the side. I started to doodle in my free time, during lunch, when I got home, and any time I had that I wasn’t working. I also started sharing it online and people began to react really well to it, so I kept creating more. I knew I had to find a way to make this profitable, so I opened up an Etsy shop and sold my art as prints. I only sold a few pieces, but the joy it brought me was immeasurable.

Then after a few months, I applied to my first market. I barely broke even with sales that day, but there were a few interactions with folks who stopped at my booth that made me feel like this was the right path for me. It wasn’t about the money, it was about how my art made people feel and those connections was what I strived for.

April, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is April and I am the owner of Apridot Studios! I’m a queer Latina artist who loves to create cute & pun stationery for everyone. I love illustration and I love making art that connects with people from all different walks of life. Having an outlet to share and make people smile has always been a goal for me. I want people who struggle with their identity and/or disabilities to have extra magic and power. We all deserve to take up our space in the world.

Growing up a 2nd generation Dominican-American, it was often hard for me to find where I belonged, and I want my art to help anyone who struggles with that. It took me a long time to find my voice, and I feel very proud to be a Queer Afro-Latina.

My love for stationery came at a young age, I was an only child looking for ways to creatively express myself, and I loved journaling and doodling. I enjoy creating art that resonates with and heals my inner-child. I spent a lot of time at bookshops and the Sanrio store with my dad. I remember feeling so much magic and power and possibilities in those places, and I’ve held on to those memories to bring my art to that special place for everyone who encounters it.

I like to connect with folks over art that they can relate to and feel nostalgic about. What I find so special is that connection with people who are so different from myself but are able to find things in common. My favorite thing about creating art is being able to discuss it after.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I love making people laugh. I think it’s so special to be able to create something that causes such a visceral reaction in someone and it really feeds my soul. When I encounter people seeing my art for the first time and it brings a smile to their face, I know I did my job. I feel like we’re already connected just by shared humor!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I think, especially now given our political climate, that it’s important to be in community. As a queer person, I often feel unsafe and uncertain of the future of our rights. My artistic mission is to give back to the community as best as I can with the art I create. If I can be a beacon for someone to feel represented in my art, or create a fundraiser to bring awareness to a certain cause, I feel like my art is doing right by the world. Just these past two years, I’ve done fundraisers for Northwest Abortion Access Fund, Entre Hermanos, The Trevor Project, AAPI Women Lead, Black Girls Smile, and The Contigo Fund. None of this would be possible without the help of my patrons, so for that I am forever grateful.

Contact Info:

• Website: apridotstudios.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/apridotdraws
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100078122537153&mibextid=LQQJ4d